Choosing a Boarding Facility for Your Pet

Every day, people face the question of what to do with their pets when travel, illness, or other situations disrupt normal care. Some choose to ask a friend or neighbor to care for their pets. Others hire a pet sitter to live in their home or make daily visits. Still others send their pets to a professional boarding facility or kennel.  Many people now board their dogs during the day at a "doggie day care."

This section covers what you should look for in choosing a boarding facility, and suggests what you can do to ensure that your pet receives the best possible care. Our aim is to help you give your pet a happy, healthy boarding experience.

Ask for Referrals and Check References
When looking for a reliable boarding facility in your area, often the best place to start is to ask your veterinarian for a referral. People at your local dog park or pet supply store also will likely have suggestions.  If you are new to an area or must board your pet temporarily while traveling, ask the facility to provide references, including at least one veterinarian and several pet owners. Ask these owners how many times they have boarded their pet at the facility, for how long, and what their experience has been.

If the community has a Better Business Bureau, phone to inquire about a specific facility’s reputation and whether any complaints have been lodged against them. You can also check with the civil complaint department of the area’s District Court to see if any claims have been filed against the facility. In Massachusetts, kennels are required to be licensed, and are subject to inspection by each town’s animal control officer. Note that the term "kennel" can apply to a house or other facility that holds multiple dogs, but a facility does not necessarily have traditionally runs, cages, etc. to obtain a kennel license.  Negligent care can result in harm to your pet, so take time to check into the facility’s reputation.

Make a Personal Visit
A visit to the facility will help determine whether it is the kind of place you'll want to leave your pet. Be sure to view the area where your pet will sleep and exercise.  Many people find stopping by unannounced is helpful. 

Appearance
The facility should look and smell clean and neat.

Security
Look for sturdy, well-maintained fencing, gates, and dividers between runs or cages. If your dog is a climber, digger, or other kind of escape artist, tell the staff so that extra precautions can be taken. Note: Cats always require covered cages or runs.

Safety
Areas where your pet will stay or play should be free of sharp edges, harmful chemicals, and small objects your pet may swallow. Floors should have good traction even when wet. Firefighting equipment should be readily available; check for smoke detectors and heat/cold sensors. There should be plenty of ventilation, with fresh air available even in the event of a power failure. The facility should not be overcrowded.

Supervision
Proper supervision is the key to good boarding. Pets should be checked frequently during the day, even on days when the facility office is closed, and at least once overnight. This check should be performed by someone who is trained to recognize and evaluate signs of illness and distress, and to determine if veterinary assistance is needed. Ask questions to check the competence of staff.  For dogs in day care that are play together, they should never be left alone.  Ask the staff how they handle altercations and what type of trainers they have on staff.  Ask the staff how they screen dogs that attend the day care and what the ratio of dogs/staff is.

Sanitation
The facility should be free of dirt, fecal accumulation, odors and parasite infestation (flies, fleas, ticks.) There should be a strict schedule of disinfecting.

Health and Veterinary Care
Each animal should have access to an individual container filled with clean drinking water at all times. While feeding procedures vary, a kennel should be eager to accommodate your pet’s individual dietary needs, within reason, and should ask for information about your pet1s eating habits. Ask about the procedure for obtaining veterinary care, if necessary. Some facilities have a veterinarian on the premises; others prefer to use your regular veterinarian for continuity of care. Be sure that staff will promptly seek veterinary care in an emergency even if they cannot reach you.  If your pet requires medication, check on the policy. The facility should require basic immunizations for all animals and should do a pre-admission check for fleas and other parasites.

Comfort (and More Safety)
The facility should be able to maintain indoor temperatures within healthful, comfortable limits for your pet, no matter what the weather is like outside.  If your pet requires warmer or cooler temperatures than are normally provided, ask if special arrangements can be made.

Remember that adequate ventilation is as or more important than temperature control. If the air conditioning system fails during the night, is there some other source of air for your pet to breathe? Indoor/outdoor kennels — with climate-controlled indoor runs connected by pet doors to outdoor runs — are the best option for proper ventilation.

Sleeping quarters should provide solid dividers between boarders, for safety and so your pet can relax and sleep without feeling challenged by other animals. Runs or exercise areas should include barriers high enough to prevent male dogs from urinating into adjacent runs.

Exercise areas should also provide shelter from wind, rain, snow  and direct sunlight. Dogs should have enough space to enable them to run, either in an individual run or during scheduled exercise periods in a fenced yard or indoor space. Cats do not necessarily require running room, but they do need primary enclosures with plenty of space to stretch and full-time access to a clean, individual litter box.  Dogs, too, should have primary enclosures that are roomy enough for the animal to stand up, turn around and stretch. All pets should be housed in clean, dry, indoor locations.

Getting Down to Business
As a customer, you are entitled to be treated in a friendly, business-like manner. A boarding facility's customer relations practices can also be a reflection of their awareness of their responsibilities to you and your pet.

Personnel
Staff should appear clean and neat. They should demonstrate a high level of understanding and concern for your pet by their questions, their animal-handling techniques, and their attitude.  Ask about their specific training and qualifications.

Grounds and Office
The property should be neat and well-maintained.

Boarding Agreement or Contract
The facility should have a written boarding agreement that clearly states your rights and the facility's responsibilities. It should specify exactly where your pet will be kept and the qualifications of the person who will care for your pet. This protects you and the kennel from any misunderstandings in these areas.

PREPARATION AND PICK UP

Prepare Your Pet
If your dog has never been boarded before, you might consider short overnight stays prior to an extended stay to help him get used to the environment and staff, and to reassure you that your dog will be safe and healthy at the facility you’ve chosen. If your cat is shy with unfamiliar people or experiences, consider choosing a cats-only facility, or one where cats are housed in a space free of dog odors and noise.

Don’t overfeed your pet before departing. Extra food may result in an upset stomach under the stress and excitement of arriving at the facility

Remember that pets often sense and reflect our feelings. Don’t allow any family member to stage an emotional farewell at the facility; it may make your pet anxious.

Allow Enough Time for Check In
Be sure to bring a number where you can be reached in case of an emergency, the name of a local contact, your veterinarian's name and number, and special feeding or other instructions if any. Make a list of any other pertinent information that may not be covered on the facility's forms, such as special behavioral or health considerations. 

Bring all agreed upon medications, foods, etc., and make sure the facility can get a refill if your return is unexpectedly delayed.

Picking Up Your Pet
Ask about your pet's stay. Did he or she adapt well, display any unusual behavior, or require any special handling? This information should be kept in the facility's records for future reference, and you should be aware of it in case you use the services of another kennel. 

While cats tend to arrive home calmly, dogs often become excited. Don’t feed or water your dog for at least four hours after returning home. If your dog appears to be thirsty, provide a few ice cubes.  Contact the facility if you have any questions about your pet’s behavior after returning home. They should be happy to discuss your concerns.

Finally, if you’ve had a bad experience with, or have concerns about, a kennel in Massachusetts, contact the MSPCA at (617) 522-6008 and/or your local animal control officer.

Some of the material contained herein is copyrighted by, and used with permission of, the American Boarding Kennels Association, (719) 591-1113.

Visit our webpage with information on choosing a pet sitter.